Everyone found out…
She was the mistake that could have cost them their jobs, their reputations, and more than likely their lives. The real reason she switched sides, what he thinks of when Budapest comes up, their fatal flaw.
The only thing that saved them was the simple fact that no one knew-not Fury and SHIELD or Ivan Petrovitch and the Red Room, not even Coulson and the arsenal of infinite knowledge he seemed to have when it came to the two of them, no one. Until they did.
Well, not everyone, Ivan Petrovitch stayed out of the loop. For obvious reasons.
Natasha and Clint knew that they couldn't keep her a secret forever, and since the invasion of New York, and the formation of the Avengers, that fact had become increasingly obvious. Before, when it was just the two of them and Coulson, it was a non-issue, but as they became closer to the team, they knew it was only a matter of time. Eventually, that time came. The babysitter cancelled, on the night of one of Stark's huge fundraisers no less.
"Sorry Stark, Nat and I aren't coming tonight" Clint said, hanging up before the billionaire had the chance to respond.
"You know he's not going to leave it alone" Nat said as she walked into the living room, dressed to the nines, stilettos in hand.
"Yeah, but I'm hoping it'll give us enough time to figure something out." Running one hand through his hair, Clint ran his eyes up and down his partner "You look stunning"
Nat smiled coyly "I know. It's almost a shame no one will get to see me". They both knew that they were never going to find another babysitter with such short notice, just like they knew that Tony Stark would never let even one of them skip out on the fundraiser. In his words, if he had to suffer through it, so did the rest of them. They only had one option, but neither wanted to be the one to raise it. After a few moments of silence, Clint sighed.
"Tasha…" he started, but was cut off before he could continue.
"I know Clint, I just… we've kept her safe for so long, and if everyone knows she exists, not just the Avengers but everyone at that party…" she trailed off, and Clint stepped closer, close enough to wrap his arms around his partners tiny waist and pull her to him.
"We can't hide her forever. We always knew that. And we are surrounded by the best security detail she could ever have. It's time to tell them" Nat nodded reluctantly, and they separated.
"I'll go get her ready" Nat left the room and Clint picked up his cell.
"Stark, yeah yeah I know that's what I was calling to tell you. We'll be there, but we are bringing a plus one." He hung up and sat to wait for Nat and their daughter.
Elena Daniella Barton was a perfectly normal five-year-old girl. She loved dolls and coloring in and gymnastics, but she also knew how to be incredibly silent, and had been taught various self defense moves by both of her parents. Although Clint and Natasha were adamant that their daughter would never follow in their footsteps, they knew it would be stupid to leave her completely defenseless.
"Elena, how would you like to come to a party?" Elena looked up from her drawing as her mother came in.
"Really? Do I get to dress pretty like you?"
"Yes мой дорогой, let's pick out a dress for you, and then we can get your hair done." Nat watched as her daughter scrambled off her bed and towards her closet.
Nat and Elena emerged about 15 minutes later, and met Clint in the living room. Clint was struck with how much their little girl looked like her mother. Elena was Nat's miniature, with the exception of her bright blue eyes.
"I'm going to be the luckiest guy there, with the two most beautiful girls on my arm" he said, as Elena ran to him.
"Look Daddy, we match!" she said, pulling up the skirt of her dark purple dress, and placing it next to his tie.
"I know Laney, you look beautiful." He said as he gathered her into his arms, and extended the other to Nat.
"Like a princess?" Elena said as she rested her head on her father's shoulder.
"Yeah Laney, just like a princess."
After Barton hung up on him for the second time in as many hours, and mentioned a mysterious plus one, Tony Stark had been wracking his brain as to who the super spies could have been bringing. As far as he was aware, everyone they knew, and who weren't out to kill them, was coming to his fundraiser.
"Pepper…"
"For the last time Tony, I don't know who Nat and Clint are bringing, so we will have to wait and find out! They should be here soon, just be patient!" Pepper tried her best not to yell, considering they were surrounded by paparazzi and some very important friends and clients, but if he asked one more time she was probably going to lose it. "Look, they just arrived" Pepper said as she spotted Natasha in the doorway of the grand ballroom, but Tony was already headed over there, hell bent on finding out who their mysterious guest was.
As Clint, Nat and Elena entered the fundraiser, quite a few eyes turned on them, but mostly because they had a child with them, not because of who the child was. That was until Nat spotted Tony and Pepper heading their way.
"Here goes nothing" she felt more than heard Clint whisper into her ear. They continued to watch Tony and Pepper walk towards them, Elena standing between the two of them, hiding behind her parent's legs.
"Barton, Romanoff, glad you could make it! So who is this plus one I've heard absolutely nothing about?" Tony said as he walked closer, not noticing Elena from where she was hiding. Pepper quickly came to his side, but unlike her boyfriend, her eyes were firmly trained about three feet off the ground.
"Oh my god" she said, her eyes not straying from Elena, who hid herself more completely behind her mother's skirt. However, that small movement was enough for Tony to notice her, and he wasn't quite as reserved in his reaction.
"Holy crap! Romanoff, did you clone yourself or something?!" his loud outburst was enough to attract the attention of the people in the immediate area, including Steve and Bruce who started making their way towards their friends. However, it seemed like the clone comment was enough for Elena to get over her shyness, and step out in front of her parents.
"Hey! I'm not a clone, I'm a girl!" she exclaimed, stomping her foot dramatically and glaring up at the billionaire. By this time, Steve and Bruce had made it over to them, and joined Tony and Pepper in staring wide eyed at the small glaring child in front of them. Clint and Natasha barely held in their laughter, as they watched their teammates, some of the world's most powerful heroes, being berated by their five year old.
"Be nice Laney, Tony was just surprised" Clint said, and Elena stepped back towards her father and raised her arms to be picked up. The team continued to stare as mini-Natasha was settled on Clint hip, and tucked her head into his neck.
"Umm, if I may ask, is she your child?" Steve said cautiously, finally snapping himself and the rest of his team out of their frozen stupor.
"Obviously" Clint snorted, thinking of the clear resemblance Tony had pointed out between Natasha and Elena.
"Do you want to introduce yourself, мой дорогой?" Natasha said, in a voice so soft that none of them, bar Clint, would have ever believed it came from the Black Widow if they hadn't witnessed it personally. Elena nodded at her mother, and squirmed so her father put her done in front of the Avengers.
"Hi! My name is Elena Daniella Barton, though my daddy calls me Laney, and I'm 5! I like gymnastics and coloring and climbing and I'm not a clone!" she smiled brightly until the very end, when she glared directly at Tony. The rest of the team couldn't hold in their laughter. Steve knelt down to get as close to Elena's level as he could, and stuck his hand out.
"It's nice to meet you Miss Elena, I'm Steve" the little girl grabbed his hand and shook it enthusiastically.
"I know who you are, silly!" she giggled out, grinning up at him. "I know who you all are! You're Momma and Daddy's team!"
The Avengers were all quickly enchanted by Clint and Natasha's precocious little girl, so much so that they all but forgot that their teammates had kept her a secret for so long.
The next few hours were filled with dancing and drinks and a lot of schmoozing on Tony's behalf. Natasha and Pepper were whirled around the dance floor by each member of their team, the whole room stopping to stare when Clint and Natasha danced the most beautiful waltz, leaving everyone breathless. But the most heart stopping moment of the night came as Clint grabbed Elena and danced around the room with her standing on his toes, her giggles piercing the room.
Pepper came to stand by Natasha as the assassin watched her partner and daughter in the centre of the room.
"Why'd you never tell us?" she said softly.
"We never told anyone, not even Coulson. She is our weakness, and in our business that just means that she is the easiest way to hurt us. She was a mistake, but the best mistake we have ever made."
After that night, Elena was no longer a secret to the Avengers; in fact she became the most cherished part of their little family. Eventually even Natasha had to admit that everyone finding out about her most well-kept secret wasn't the worst thing ever.
This is the first time I've tried writing for The Avengers, and I know it's probably OOC, especially for Clint and Natasha, but what can you do?! The Russian came from Google translate, so it may not be correct, but it means 'my darling'.
Reviews would be accepted with love! As will constructive criticism!
Thanks!
WithAChanceOfSarcasm